Many businesses have been struggling to fill open positions since the start of the pandemic. Even though unemployment remains significantly higher than it was pre-COVID, people just aren’t going back to work. There are a lot of factors that are likely playing a role in that.
For employers, it’s a challenge, and some are even having to close their doors because they can’t fill open positions.
There are things companies can do to work with fewer employees, like AP automation and other AI and software, but there are limits to that.
The following are some of the key things to know if you’re running a business and you’re having a hard time finding employees.
Job Openings
According to the Labor Department, back in February of this year, job openings were at a five-month high. Indeed, a job search site, recently said their postings are back to their pre-pandemic levels.
That doesn’t mean those open jobs are being filled, though.
One of the reasons that many experts are pointing to is because a lot of Americans are still looking for remote work, while the available jobs are for in-person work. Americans want remote work because they might still be hesitant about the risks of the pandemic, and a lot of families are also educating their kids at home because schools in many places are still virtual.
A lot of people have decided they’re just going to hang out on the sidelines for the time being before they start looking for a job.
Another factor could be unemployment benefits, which for the past year have been higher than ever before. Lawmakers have been discussing the importance of not disincentivizing employees from returning to work via jobless benefits.
Some workers are also waiting right now because they want higher wages when they do return to work.
Several companies have been raising their minimum wages over the past few years, including Costco, which recently raised theirs to $16 an hour.
There have been talks at the federal level about raising the minimum wage too, so some workers might want to wait until there’s more clarity on this before securing a job.
What Happens If You Don’t Fill A Position?
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So if you’re like so many other businesses right now and you ultimately don’t fill a position, what do you do? It’s extremely challenging to deal with this situation.
When a position goes unfilled it affects everyone in your organization. People have to take on additional duties, and it can cause tension and frustration, impacting your corporate culture.
Your employees are at greater risk of burn out too, and that might mean that what ends up happening is an unfilled position leads to more open positions.
Performance and productivity can start to decline, and the whole business suffers.
Some positions are harder to fill than others, which is something to be aware of too.
Some of the factors that make a position even harder to fill in the current environment include:
- The workplace or physical location of the job isn’t appealing
- Salary isn’t competitive, or there aren’t good benefits that come with it
- It’s too specific of a job description or role
- Not many candidates have the skills, education, or qualifications required
- Your employer branding isn’t strong, or you have a reputation as a bad employer
So what can you do?
The following are some things that can help you fill open positions, even when times are tough.
Have a Strategy
When times are tough for employers as far as securing talent, it’s important that they integrate their recruitment and hiring as part of their larger business strategy and also drill down and create a specific strategy for filling positions.
You need a recruitment plan that addresses the challenges you’re likely to face every step of the way.
This makes you proactive rather than reactive. You can save time and money and generally make the most of your resources when you approach hiring strategically.
With strategic planning might come more of a reliance on technology-based tools as well.
For example, you might want to use tracking and assessment tools so that you can see where you’re getting the most return on your investment when it comes to recruitment and hiring strategies.
Go To Where the People Are
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Rather than posting an open position on a job board and hoping for the best, it can be a better idea to go where the most talented people might be who have the skills that you need.
For example, if there’s a niche community or special interest website where these people could go, then find that.
Maybe there’s a particular Reddit board that would have a lot of people with the skills you need.
Get creative in how you’re finding people because the perfect person probably isn’t just going to present themselves to you right now. You’re going to have to find them.
Let Them Work Remotely
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One of the best things you can do right now to secure top talent is to let them work remotely if it’s at all possible. Of course, there are some instances where this isn’t possible. This is a big issue in the restaurant industry, for example. They’re having an incredibly tough time filling positions because there’s no way that type of work can be done from home.
If your open position can be done from home, even part-time, though, you should offer that option.
The ability to work remotely is one of the single biggest issues to a lot of people right now.
Finally, start building an employer brand. This is something that will serve you into the future and not just right now during this hiring crunch.
When you have a strong employer brand, you’re going to spend less on recruiting. An employer brand will communicate what it’s like to truly work for you day-to-day.
To start building out your brand, go to your current employees. Get a feel for what it’s like for them, what you do well as an employer, and what you can improve on.
The post What to Know If You’re Struggling to Fill Open Positions first appeared on Feedster.from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/hiring/what-to-know-if-youre-struggling-to-fill-open-positions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-to-know-if-youre-struggling-to-fill-open-positions
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